Risk/Compliance: Page 199

USDA Relaxes Livestock Inspections For Exporters

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Most of the requirements for export health certifications, tests and treatments will be removed; instead, exporters will be directed to follow the requirements of the importing country regarding such processes and procedures.

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Ocean Ports & Carriers

Ports America To Exit Port Of Oakland, Invest Elsewhere

Ports America is active in planning its expansion and investment opportunities in its existing locations at both the Port of Tacoma and the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

Idle cranes at the Port of Oakland.

Rail & Intermodal

Canadian Pacific Petitions Justice Department In Norfolk Southern Corp. Takeover Bid

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)

CP is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to review recent actions by a number of major U.S. railroads who have stated publicly that they are organizing a collective campaign to block significant mergers in the railroad industry.

CP believes it is unfortunate that the company must take the very serious step of writing to the Department of Justice but ultimately concluded the unprecedented action of major competitors organizing to block a new entrant from enhancing competition to the U.S. merited the attention of the antitrust authorities.

Hershey Seeks Innovation Partner To Ship Chocolate In Hot Weather

The Hershey Company

Hershey has launched a contest calling for companies to help it develop a lightweight, affordable shipping system that will keep chocolate cool even in the warmest months.

Battle Brews In Maine Over GMO Labeling

Some lawmakers have began a drive to repeal the trigger that requires five contiguous states to pass labeling laws, which would put the Maine labeling law into effect, and a key State House panel is expected to take up the issue in coming weeks.

The Maine State House.

USDA Acts To Halt Another Bird Flu Outbreak

The U.S. government confirmed a highly pathogenic strain of H7N8 avian influenza in a commercial turkey flock in Indiana on January 15, and the virus was found in nine more flocks in southwestern Indiana.

The highly infectious H5N2 strain led to retail prices for eggs more than doubling and sent turkey prices to record highs earlier this year. It also has cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion in cleanup, preparation costs and indemnity payouts to farmers—much of it from emergency federal funds tapped by the USDA’s animal-and-plant health service.

ConAgra Foods Inc. Joins Cage-Free Eggs Bandwagon

ConAgra’s supplier quality program outlines specific expectations for appropriate animal care, and the company continues to expand and refine this program.

Conagra Brands will be comprised primarily of the operations currently reported as the company’s consumer foods segment, which generated approximately $7.2 billion in fiscal 2015 revenues, as reported. The consumer foods segment consists of popular leading brands such as Marie Callender’s, Hunt’s, RO*TEL, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim, PAM, Chef Boyardee, Orville Redenbacher’s, P.F. Chang’s and Healthy Choice.

U.S. Xpress Boosts Pay 13.5% For Safe OTR Drivers

U.S. Xpress implemented this pay raise to ensure the company continues to recruit and retain the industry’s most elite and safe drivers.

Starting on March 1st, 2016, U.S. Xpress will implement the safety performance-based pay scale where all OTR solo drivers who have 12 months safe driving record and are accident, CSA violation and ticket free, will earn an additional 13.5 percent. With this pay increase, a safe driver with 5 years of experience could make over $70,000 total compensation.

Feds To Scrutinize Safety Of Canadian Pacific Railway/Norfolk Southern Merger

Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC)

The Federal Railroad Administration, which regulates safety for the U.S. industry, expects to scrutinize the "significant safety hurdles" that would result from merging any of the nation's major railroads.

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FMCSA Announces Stricter Safety Rules For Trucks

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)

The proposal would update FMCSA’s safety fitness rating methodology by integrating on-road safety data from inspections, along with the results of carrier investigations and crash reports, to determine a motor carrier’s overall safety fitness each month.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced a rulemaking proposal designed to enhance the agency’s ability to identify non-compliant motor carriers.

Ocean Ports & Carriers

Amazon Moves Into Ocean Freight Forwarding

The Seattle retailer registered itself with a federal agency overseeing ocean transportation, a step towards allowing it to serve as an intermediary for suppliers shipping merchandise in or out of the U.S.

A slowdown in Chinese economic growth has hammered the global shipping industry, which exited the Great Recession to take advantage of low interest rates to buy new ships to handle a rising amount of coal, iron ore and consumer goods. But as China’s factories scale back and the economies of Europe and North America gear down, the amount of cargo traversing the oceans has slowed.

Mondelez International Commits To Cage-Free Eggs By 2025

Mondelez currently uses 100 percent cage-free eggs in all of its European chocolate brands as well as in its biscuit products sold in Belgium and the Netherlands.

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